Xenolith Properties
by KaraMeL
Summary: On a supposedly desserted planet SG1 faces their worst enemies.


Xenolith Properties

Two great suns rose over the desert in perfect harmony. Swirls of radiation and millions of particles of long dead stars revolved around the giants and as the magnificent array of   
color and magic the foreign object below locked and a wormhole of water suddenly appeared, seeming to bend towards the light, then snapping back into a shimmering pool. Four   
creatures spat out of the circle and lay on the ground. As the great circle closed once more, one of the creatures stood and stretched. 

"Crud. For once I wish we could have a smooth landing. Maybe we should try and toss in a mattress first." 

The fair-haired creature stood too. "Wouldn't work. We'd just crash into each other, and besides, we'd probably leave 'em on every planet we came to, seeing how much trouble we   
get from the goa'uld." A female with sand colored hair wearily checked the perimeter. Satisfied it was clear and she and the others were in no immediate danger, visible relaxed. 

The large creature, towering over them all seemed to look around for an extra while ensuring no threat was in order. The team was in a venerable position. The large creature   
realized that. Gathering his equipment he hissed gently through his teeth and stepped away from the metal machine that had been sent through before them. Seeing the larger creature   
move away, the strange one that had spoken first motioned to the rest of them and gathered up his own equipment. Soon after, the fair-haired one glanced towards a dune in the distance   
and set off, calling a name. 

Faxin stood on his hind legs and dived into the underground cavern below. He would - as ordered - report his findings and observations to the leader. Strange enough, thought   
Faxin, They looked almost exactly like the leader. Banning those thoughts from his head he burrowed into the soft sand, not leaving a trace of him being above ground behind. 

"_You have done well my child" murmured the leader. "For your vigilance you shall be rewarded_." 

Faxin tried to look pleased. He was sworn to his leader, like almost any of the other Opacians in the caverns. Out of all the Opacians, The leader viewed him as the best. He was   
sent to do the most important jobs and only he was allowed to serve the leader his evening meal. Still, feelings of uncertainty and uneasiness coursed through his veins, and he found   
himself looking at the leader contemplate the information Faxin had given him. 

"_My child, I want you to retrieve these trespassers and have them brought to me. If you return successful you shall be rewarded. If not..._" Faxin's eyes darted to the leaders   
palm. A small device wound it's way up his arm and somewhere under his robe. He had seen the sheer destructive power of the jeweled crystal, and he was afraid. 

Faxin drew himself up to his full height. "I shan't fail you m'lord." With that, Faxin mast a hasty retreat. The leader's eye's glowed with an ominous cast. Soon he would be able to   
avenge his father's capture. Sokar would pay, but first SG-1 would. 

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"Jack!" 

Jack sighed as he turned back to Daniel. "What? Is it another rock?" 

"Artifacts Jack." Daniel sighed and pointed to a large rock outcropping in the distance. "We've been walking for hours and not a single sign of civilization. Couldn't we at least try to   
find something?" 

Jack looked at him, clearly telling him no. Daniel would hear none of it. "Fine. You and Teal'c try for something in this wasteland. I'm sure _Sam_ would love to accompany me to the   
rock formation." 

As if on cue, Sam's head perked up from the relative shade of a sand dune. "Huh?" 

Daniel rolled his eyes, pulled her to the feet and explained why she was going with him. 

As their chatter faded into a muted hum Jack looked over at the impassive Jaffa. "Come on Teal'c, let's go find us something interesting. He surveyed the vast desert. "If," he   
muttered under his breath. Teal'c looked at him with a raised eyebrow and thought nothing of the Colonel's sarcastic comment. 

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Faxin looked at the two pairs. Which should he follow? 

Choosing the Strange one and the large creature, he stealthily followed the two on higher ground. After a while he started to get hot. His species wasn't meant to be on the surface.   
It had adapted to the cooler underground and since the leader had taken over more Opacians had been sent to the surface and many hadn't returned. He was fearful that he might be one   
that never returns and he would let down the leader. He creeped over dunes and hoped that the suns would soon set. 

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"Oye." Jack wiped his brow and stared at the massive suns that finally dipped over the edge of the ridge. They had found nothing. After an hour of walking they knew it was   
futile to try ad stray too far from the two scientists. Not even a piece of junk was visible in the changing sands. 

Teal'c, as ever, was calm and cool. He hadn't seen anything either and Jack presumed the planet to be deserted. One look at the suns and he would've expected that. No one would be   
able to survive a year here, let alone years. The blistering heat faded and Jack found himself shivering. 

The M.A.L.P had reported overnight temperatures would lower down to below freezing temperatures and Jack cursed as he saw how far they still had to walk. He draped his coat   
over his shoulders and walked. For awhile there was nothing heard but his own breathing. Teal'c quirked his years and motioned for Jack to stop. Jack was about to say a sarcastic   
comment when he realized that the Jaffa had heard something. 

Crouching in the cover of darkness he withdrew one of his M.R.E's and threw it in the direction Teal'c pointed to. A startled cry, accompanied by a honk of surprise started Jack.   
Teal'c, using the creatures' startled reaction as cover, sprinted to the dune where he had heard the sound. Jack strained his ears until he couldn't hear anything and waited. 

A muffled thump and dragging sounds told him he was either in danger or Teal'c had found their follower. He fumbled with the straps of his bag and brought out his high-powered   
flashlight. As the dragging sounds grew closer his hand hit the on button and he shone his light into Teal'c's eyes. Teal'c dropped the creature, which scurried away. A glancing beam hit   
the creature and Jack narrowed his eyes. The creature wasn't humanoid and by the lack of signs of civilization, must have come from somewhere. Using his light he followed the tracks   
in a sprint. Suddenly the tracks stopped. No evidence of the creature anywhere, not even an article of clothing. 

Teal'c observed this and spoke up. "Perhaps the creature lives underground O'Neill." 

A distant hum rattled the ground beneath them. "Oh crap." Jack realized what that meant. 

The Gold mini-rings folded around them, cutting his last words from his mouth. The light swarmed upward and he was whisked away. When the light deposited him and Teal'c   
underground, Jack looked around. 

Surrounding him were Horus guards. 

Jack swore violently and at the smack of a staff weapon, he feel to his knees One of the heads retracted his helmet and Jack tried to get up. The blunt end of a staff weapon hit the   
back of his head, and he fell. Catching himself before he got a mouthful of sand. 

Her'ru smiled coyly. "_Jaffa Kree_" He knelt down as a mother would while comforting a child that had just fallen off a bike. He snatched Jack's chin and held it up to the light. "_Ah._   
_The warrior Tau'ri._" He looked a Teal'c. "_And the traitor. You have done well Faxin._" 

A nervous alien stepped into the light. A tentative smile on its 'lips.' "I serve you my leader." 

Her'ru smiled. "_Bring me the other Tau'ri._" The alien named Faxin disappeared back into the shadows and scurried off. Her'ru turned to his two prisoners. "_Take them to the_   
_prison, make sure they have little food and water. We will start the interrogation once the other two Tau'ri arrive._" Her'ru's smiling face was the last thing Jack was aware of when   
the blunt end of a staff weapon slammed into his temple. 

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Daniel grinned across the fire from Sam. After a days worth of work on the rock they had found several fossils imbedded in the rock and some ancient writings. Daniel had   
tried to decipher them with little progress. Sam had finally torn him away from his work when she had made dinner. Although M.R.E's didn't taste that good, Sam made them taste like a   
gourmet meal. 

Sam who now had her nose buried in a trashy romance novel, didn't pay any attention to the looks Daniel had been giving her. 

Sighing in defeat, Daniel picked up his notes and again stated to try a figure out what it said. He recognized some Latin and Egyptian writing styles but none matched and in the   
books he had carted to the planet. The fire started to die down and the cold of the night air started to seep into his clothes. He tossed on another piece of wood and looked up. Daniel's   
eyes literally popped out of his head when he saw a creature no taller than himself, rise from the shadows. Knowing it had been discovered it reared up. It's shiny breastplate and scales   
gleamed. 

Sam, hearing Daniel looked up and saw the alien. Daniel's first immediate reaction was to help Sam. He pulled her to her feet and gave her a shove, yelling at her to move. Running   
as fast as he could behind her, he looked behind him. The creature was nowhere in sight and the night was too dark to tell where the creature was. Sam stumbled ahead of his and his   
momentum sent her back to her feet. He urged her to keep running and heard a howl. 

Oddly enough it felt as if the creature wasn't dong this intentionally, but on any bases he probably figured out why Jack and Teal'c had never returned. He kept running, hearing no   
signs of pursuing feet, or whatever the creature had, he risked a look back. Nothing. Large formations of rocks were ahead. If they got to the top they would have an advantage over the   
enemy. 

Sam had just reached the rocks when a dark shape seemed to fly out of the sand. He had heard about these types of creatures before in Greek mythology. 'Angels of the night' his   
professor had called them. Daniel ran around the rising figure and just as he reached the rocks the creature surfaced under him. 

Daniel, surprised, lost his balance and crashed to the floor and lay there unmoving, blood pouring freely over one side of his head. Sam screamed when the monster let out a shriek   
and grabbed Daniel, disappearing into the night. Sam sobbed and sat on the high rocks, awaiting the long night ahead. 

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Faxin felt guilty. He had heard the cries of the female fade into the night and he realized that she probably would not be a threat if he left her there. She would eventually die   
and Her'ru wouldn't be the wiser. Preparing a false story he glanced down at the fair-haired one. A strange thick substance flowed down his face. Touching it his found it warm. He had   
never seen anything like it before. He approached the gate of the gods and activated a small button his leader had given to him to activate the rings and he was whisked down into the   
depths of the caverns below. When the light released him, Faxin blinked. 

A whole entourage of royal guards had surrounded the rings. The leader emerged from the shadows, his eyes bent so he could almost not see them. He saw a flash of light, as if his   
eyes were jewels under fire. The leader raised his head and Faxin stood straighter, not wanting the leader to see how fatigued he had become. "I'm sorry m'lord. This one tripped and fell.   
I have not been able to revive him." Faxin's eyes looked warily and the guards that still aimed their weapons at him. 

"_Good job Faxin. Bring him to the prison and then come to me. What about the female with the sand colored hair_." 

Faxin swallowed. "She has perished." The leader smiled, His eyes seem to register that he now could do as he pleased with the three males. The leader looked at him, and with a   
slightly angered expression said softly, "_Go my child_." 

Faxin took his leave. Feeling the leader's eyes on his back if as though he could read his mind. Turning the corner he sighed in relief and exported the fair-haired one to the dank   
prison. 

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"Daniel!?!" Sam called out to the darkness. Soon the suns would rise and she had no water, no supplies and no idea if the monster would return. Seeing it's venerability when it   
would not climb after her when it had the chance, she knew she had to stay there. Sam was too afraid to get down from her perch. She hoped the Colonel, Teal'c and Daniel were all   
right. She wondered why the creature took them. Seeing no possible explanation Sam huddled in the small recess the provided some shade, and hoped that a rescue would be quick and   
swift. 

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"Agh!" Jack moaned as the weak light filtered through his closed eyelids. He lay there for a second, trying to get both his bearings and his balance. An awful smell permutated   
through his nostrils and registered as one of the most unpleasant smells he had ever smelt. Feeling around him, not wanting to face the onslaught of a loop-to-loop roller coaster ride,   
he realized he was on a solid surface, like rock. On the other side he felt a stone wall with fresh water leaking from small holes above him. 

Jack cautiously opened his eyes, his vision blurred and he saw Teal'c's impassive face loom over his. 

"Are you well O'Neill?" Teal'c helped the Colonel to sit up, splashing a bit of water in his face. Jack nodded his thanks and looked at Teal'c. 

"What the heck happened, and where the heck are we?" 

Teal'c lowered his head for a moment, and as if regaining his composure spoke, "We are in the underground labyrinth of the Opacians. Docile creatures that live underground rather   
then above. They are not humanoid as we are O'Neill and the burrow deep in the sands." 

"And you thought this wasn't worth mentioning because..." 

"Because they pose no threat and their existence is folklore to my people." 

"Right." Jack stood up and stretched. He felt like he had just run the New York Marathon and he had the bruises to prove it. Noticing there was no one else in the prison, Jack   
allowed himself a small sigh of relief. If no one else was here, Carter and Jackson were still safe. 

He spoke too soon. 

With a rattling groan the wide metal door opened and swung outward. The same creature that brought Jack and Teal'c to the labyrinth stepped inside and wordlessly handed the Jaffa   
a body. His eyes still riveted on the alien Jack noticed about three guards outside. Weapons trained on him. Jack closed his eyes and looked over in Teal'c direction. He was holding   
Daniel. 

Noticing no other still body accompanied him he thanked the gods. Except Her'ru. The bastard could go to hell for all he cared. The creature slipped out and the heavy door closed   
again. Jack and Teal'c put down Daniel on the hard bed and Jack unshouldered his jacket and draped it over the kid. Daniel was bleeding, not heavily, but Jack knew it would have to be   
wrapped up. Who knows how many diseases there could be in a filthy place such as this? 

Jack ripped a part of the jacket he had covered Daniel with and wrapped it around his head. Wincing as the bandage turned bright red, Jack hoped that it wasn't a concussion. They   
had absolutely nothing to treat it with. Jack sat back, laying his head on the back wall. He hoped they would get out of here fast, and somehow he knew that wasn't going to be that   
simple. 

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Her'ru looked at the assembled Opacians. All were lined in a perfect formation. Ready to serve him, ready to kill for his and ready to die for him. After realizing that this was   
an illiterate race, he had taken over their culture and shaped it for his needs. There was no fear of rebellion and now he had the Tau'ri that had made him and his father before him suffer.   
Her'ru smiled and his eyes locked on his honor guard beside him. "_Fetch the prisoners. I shall be in my chamber."_ He stood up, and walked to his chambers. 

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_Creeaak._

The door opened and three Horus guards stood there, staffs pointed unwaveringly at them. Jack's eye's narrowed and he realized the fun was about to begin. They knew that Her'ru   
would eventually call upon them to learn their secrets. Jack stood up and defiantly gave the guard a look then spoke to Teal'c quietly. 

"Try to get out of here. Take Daniel. If Carter's still out there she has the remote. If I don't try and gate back in 48 hours presume me dead." 

Teal'c picked up the still prone archeologist. He would not affirm the order Jack had given him. 

"Teal'c." 

"I will do as you say O'Neill." 

Jack nodded and motioned the Jaffa to go first. While walking, Jack noticed the crowds of Aliens that huddled in the shadows. They were both curious and afraid. Jack kicked a   
stray pebble into the shadows and watched as a younger creature ran away honking. Two of the guards turned their heads slightly, and in this moment of inattention the two warriors   
leapt. 

Putting Daniel on the floor, Teal'c rushed at two guards standing together. Bashing their heads together and knocking them unconscious. Jack leapt at the third, sending him flying   
into a quickly cleared wall. 

The Horus guard struggled back to his feet and then shouted "_Harets krar tojav!_" (Reinforcements come!) 

As Teal'c surveyed the damage he had done Jack pulled him by the shirt. Teal'c slung Daniel over his shoulder and they beat it. The threesome ran down the halls until they came to   
elaborately carved doors extending to the reaches of the caverns. Seeing no alternative escape routes, and the sound of booted feet Jack pulled open the doors and ran through. After he   
had closed them and put a decorated coat rack of some sort to block the door he realized where they were. Into the heart of the beast. 

A figure on the bed made it's way down and the silky veils seemed to fly away from his body. The final veil rose and Jack muttered a curse. With a final bang the doors crashed   
open, leaving the three humans in the center of a very large ring. 

Her'ru smiled. "_You will pay for your lack of vigilance_." He raised his gold encrusted arm and the world faded. 

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Sam Carter had been on the rock forever. Seeing that she was in no immediate threat she decided to take a risk and return to base camp. Her sunburned face turned towards the   
sky as the shadows deepened. Soon night would overcome her. She could not last another day without water. Her head light and vision narrowing, she stepped lightly on the sand. Seeing   
that nothing happened, she took another cautious step and again checked around for signs of movement. Seeing nothing once more she took off into a full sprint, hoping she wouldn't   
suffer the same fate as her comrades. 

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"Jack, Oh Jack. Wakey wakey." 

Jack groaned and felt the gentle slap on his cheek. 

"Come on Jack wake up!" The persistent voice did not go away and he finally cracked open an eyelid. Daniel was beside him, trying to wake him up. Although he didn't look so hot,   
he was smiling at the expression Jack was making. 

"Go away! I was sleeping!" 

Daniel grinned again and pulled Jack up. The loop-to-loop roller coaster seemed to shift and then stabilize. 

Daniel held up his hand. "How many fingers am I holding up?" 

Jack squinted. "Three. Now leave me alone." 

"Good enough." Daniel glanced in a certain direction. "So, mind filling me in on what happened to me and where the hell we are?" Daniel gestured to the tall ceiling. "I mean, how   
the heck did I get here?" 

Jack closed his eyes; the last few minutes of action still were blurry but not infallible. "This place is some kind of Jaffa legend and how you got here is some mystery. You were   
tossed into the cell with half your face red by an alien species we haven't encountered before. The thing's name is Faxin, I think. That's what Her'ru called him." 

Daniel's eyes widened. "Her'ru? What? Here?" Jack nodded. 

Daniel seemed to ponder what Jack had said for a moment. Jack looked around so he wasn't mistaken. 

"Where's Carter?" 

Daniel looked around as if for the first time not seeing his female companion. 

"Good. She must have gotten away. She took cover near some rocks when that thing grabbed me." 

Jack nodded. "And..." 

"I have no idea where she could be. I'm hoping she got back to camp and that she'll have the sense to go back through the gate." Daniel sighed and Jack heard him mutter, "If she   
would do that..." 

Jack smiled and then looked around again. "Where's Teal'c?" 

"How should I know?" Daniel said, "I woke up a couple of minutes before you did." 

"I guess Her'ru has him." Daniel looked at him, hoping it wasn't true. He knew what the vengeful god was capable of, and seeing the futility of the situation, realized the same fate   
was in store for them. 

As if on cue, a pair of footsteps approached the room. The door swung open, barely missing Jack and almost hitting Daniel if he hadn't had the sense to jump back. Two Horus   
guards stepped into the room and the leader gestured with his staff weapon that the two of them should come. Passing down the hallways Jack had a strange feeling of Déja vu. Crowds   
littered the shady recessed but this time he wasn't fool enough to try and attack them. They came to the oriental doors and they swung open. Jack grabbed Daniel's sleeve as the doors   
closed behind them. 

Her'ru emerged from the shadow. The Goa'uld torture device still wrapped around his wrist. In plain sight, Teal'c was strapped to a chair, still defiant. Except for the exception of   
the thin trickle of blood down the side of his mouth he looked as strong of ever. Daniel's eyes were riveted to the torture device and Jack noticed the reaction. 

Unfortunately so did Her'ru. For such a green and naive kid, Daniel had seen much violence in his life; he had experienced it first hand. Her'ru motioned for the two guards to put   
Daniel in a chair similar to Teal'c's. Jack watched in horror as the evil warlord brought his hand to bear and he shut his eyes, not wanting to see what would happen. 

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Samantha Carter was tired. Her back said it, her feet said it and her mind said it. She sank to her knees, and looked up at the sky. The suns were still circling each other. There   
was no sign of them going down or shade anywhere. She staggered to he feet once more and put her foot forward. Suddenly he foot sank into the ground. A cavity lay just beneath the   
sand, as if some sort of creature had burrowed in it. She thought quickly to herself then closed her eyes and swam through to the cavity. 

"Whew!" Sam remarked as she burrowed her way through the sand. The cavity was about two meters wide and two in length and many tunnels led into different directions. 

Hearing sounds issue from the one on her left she crawled on her knees into the dark and realized nothing wasn't coming. The sounds she heard was Jack. He was yelling at   
somebody to stop. 

Seeing no danger, she crept quietly down the passage until she got to a small metal grate. The grate pulled away easily and She quietly put it on the side. She squinted, the harsh   
light emanating form the room overpowering the dank and dim lit tunnel. She turned her head any blinked. She thought she was seeing things. 

Teal'c was on one side, barely containing his anger, Jack was on the floor, being previously hit down by a guard. Jack had the sense to remain down and she saw the Horus guards by   
the enormous oriental doors. She wondered what had gotten Jack so riled up. She turned a bit more and saw why. Daniel, his head pulled back by his hair was staring dully at Her'ru,   
blood was running down his nose and mouth, the after effects of the hand held Goa'uld torture device. Her'ru jerked his head back again and Sam saw Daniel's eyes shut in pain. 

"_Tell me about your world_," Her'ru said. "_I know of your defenses from my father, and now you will help me by giving me the codes._" 

Daniel slowly shook his head and Her'ru raised the device slowly. Sam closed her eyes as Daniel was subject to the painful torture once more and she cried softly until she heard   
Jack. 

"Stop! All right. I'll tell you the codes. Release Daniel and I'll tell you." 

Her'ru smiled. "_Very well._" He untied Daniel, who had gone limp after he had released him, and pushed him into Jack's arms. The anthropologist was unconscious; blood trickled   
down his face and stained the carpet beneath him. Jack gathered up his friend's body and felt for a pulse. He found one. Although weak and thready, it was still there. Jack looked up at   
Her'ru. 

"The code is 555-2355." Jack looked at him, his face unwavering, Daniel still clutched by his side. 

Her'ru looked at the guards and snapped his fingers. "_If I have found that you have lied, your friend will not survive the next session._" He stalked off, leaving the guards to deal   
with the three teammates. The guards untied Teal'c except for his hands, making sure he would not be able to escape. Another guard hauled Jack to his feet. He staggered but still   
remained upright, Daniel in his arms. They were led out. 

Sam exhaled and put her back to the wall. Daniel was going to die. She knew the Colonel had given Her'ru the incorrect number and Jack had bought him and his team a little time.   
With a flush of determination she shoved the grate back in place then followed the tunnel to wherever it might lead her. 

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Faxin stood proud as he found his place by the leader's chair. It was the day of unveiling. There was legend among his people, of that whoever had the ancient stone fossil of   
the gods would rule. The leader was announced at the door and Faxin stood as tall as he possibly could. The leader approached with dignity and grace, almost like the snakes that   
burrowed in their tunnels. Everybody in the whole labyrinth was here, from the miners to the smallest children; it was the day that people should rejoice. Some cheered, some clapped   
and some stood there. Faxin gave a disapproving glare to an old Opacian who gave the new leader a withering look. 

The lord sat down on his gold throne and waited for the cheering to subside. When it had become quiet once again he stood, "_As your new leader, I will serve you well!_" 

The response seemed to make the old man in the front angry. Before Faxin could stop him, the man had hobbled up the stairs. "You would serve us? You do not want to serve us;   
you want us to become your slaves. I have watched this community grow," he now continued his conversation to the crowd assembled. "I have sweated over tunnels and I have seen us   
flourish. We have not needed a leader, this man is pure evil my people, we can not let them take over our lives." 

By this time Her'ru was enraged, he had not come this far to be ground out by an old man with swaying words. Faxin looked towards his leader and in horror saw the man raise his   
gold encrusted wrist. It flared and Faxin had barely enough time to jump out of the way before the prone body of the aged old man went tumbling past. Many of the Opacians fled, only   
to be stopped by the Hours guards at the doors. Streaking light and a loud boom from one of the oriental sticks the soldiers carried stopped the crowd, and a few still were sobbing   
silently. Faxin stared at the body of the old man, and then at the corralled people. His eyes darkened, but he didn't dare strike the leader. He could help no one if he were dead. The   
leader stepped out into the light, his eyes flashing with an unearthly glow. Faxin swallowed and the leader spoke. 

"_You shall obey me, all who do not do as I ask will die._" His eyes flared again and he turned away. Sinking into the shadows as if he were one himself. Faxin swore to the gods that   
he would protect his people or die so doing it. 

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Jack stumbled a bit and the guard beside him brought his staff to bear. 

Jack smiled. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." The Horus guard turned away and Jack added under his breath "yet." 

Teal'c was beside him, although the large man could not help, he seemed to give Jack strength with his presence. They came to the familiar prison block. One of the Horus guards   
opened the door, cut Teal'c's bonds and then slammed the door shut. Jack put down his burden, and checked Daniel's pulse again. 

"Jeez Daniel. Don't you die on me." Taking off his jacket again, he wrapped it around his younger friend and sat down. Holding Daniel's head in his lap. A while back in the trip,   
Daniel had started to shiver and convulse. The guards didn't do anything but Jack knew it must have been the internal bleeding. Suddenly Daniel began to cough. Jack held him still until   
it passed then glance at the Jaffa. The large man seemed to be lost. He could clearly sense his friend was in great pain yet with all his strength he still could not help his friend. Jack also   
felt helpless. It didn't matter if Her'ru put him under that thing, he would die any way unless he could get medical help. Jack banged his head back and he hit metal. 

"What the....?" 

He turned around and realized that the metal was a plate or grate of some kind that went over the wall for air. 

Teal'c seeing what had captured his leader's attention pulled at the grate and it clattered open. Peering through Teal'c saw a maze of tunnels. Light at one end alerted him and he told   
O'Neill to remain quiet. 

A voice filtered through. "Colonel? Teal'c? Daniel? Are you there?" Teal'c, trying not to attract the attention of the serpent guards whispered, 

"Captain Carter, Is that you?" Sounds of footsteps grew closer. 

"Teal'c? Where are you guys?" 

"Over here Captain Carter. Lights grew closer and soon Teal'c could see the outline of the petite Captain could be seen. She saw a shaft of light by the third wall and approached. 

"Hey. Where have you guys been? I've been looking forever." 

Jack's voice filtered up from under the grate. "To answer your unasked question, No Daniel is not fine, no we are not fine and Her'ru is alive, well and ready to kill us." 

Sam winced. Suddenly footsteps approached her direction. "I'm sorry guys. I'll come back, I promise." 

She took one look at Teal'c, who put the grate back in place the switched off her light and using the wall, guided herself to a small crevice. She crouched down, hoping that   
whoever, or whatever wouldn't find her. 

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Faxin had looked all around the surface, not seeing any sign of the female creature. He now searched the catacombs, waiting to see if his fruitless search would come up with   
something more tangible. He kept walking, his keen hearing noting every sound and every drop of water. He heard sounds of conversation then the sound, of a grate sliding back into   
place. Sounds of footsteps echoed through the vast tunnels and he slowed his steps so that nobody would be alerted by his presence. He passed the prison cells where he could hear   
hushed conversations. 

Leaning his ear he distinctly hear three words. 'Carter' 'help' and 'hope' although he did not stay to hear the rest of the conversation he knew that it had to do with the female. She   
must have somehow found a way to penetrate the tunnels. Crouching now, so he wouldn't make any noise, he listened, not really breathing himself. 

Soft sounds of intake and outtakes of breath seemed to scream in the silence. Faxin realized the female thought he was an enemy. Slowly creeping forward he reached the place   
where she was hidden and reached into the crevice. 

"Oww!" Faxin could barely contain his moan of pain as the female took his hand and bit on it. Hard. Suddenly a light flashed into his eyes, a quick intake of breath told Faxin he   
would not get the help if he waited much longer. Although temporarily blinded by the strange torch, he grabbed the female, covered her mouth and retreated into the shadows. 

Sounds of Horus guards tromping through the tunnels, making sure that no Opacians were in the tunnels. As the sounds of their footsteps grew father away Faxin whispered into the   
female's ear. "Will you not scream?" 

At the nod of her head she released her and she backed away, still suspicious of the stranger. 

"What do you want?" She said, acutely aware of him being in between her and the door. She couldn't call out for help or she'd be caught, and be in the same predicament as Daniel. 

"I want your help." 

Sam turned to the mysterious figure. She was astonished. "Help?" She repeated. 

"Yes help. When the leader first came to our earth many nights ago he restored our faith to the gods. Millennia ago, my people banished the gods and threw them through the circle   
of standing water." 

"Stargate," Sam told him. 

"Stargate." The alien stumbled on the unfamiliar word. "They cursed us. We live in fear and for years and years, since the world above was devastated, we have adapted our form and   
learned the ways of our ancient ancestors. Many nights ago, the vile leader approached us from the heavens in his golden chariot. He came to us seeking refuge. At first we came to see   
him as our friend, then our equal, soon he took control and now rules us with fear. You see, I have been blind to the ways my family and friends have been treated. Today I witnessed the   
true side of our supposed leader. He killed," Faxin choked slightly on the last word; "He killed my father." 

The female looked at him he swallowed and prayed that she would find it in her heart to help them. "Alright," she said finally. "I'll help you, but you need to get me a few things." 

Faxin nodded. 

"I need a Horus guard outfit and a staff weapon. If you can, can you get me a Goa'uld healing device?" 

Faxin knitted his eyebrows. "I have heard of an armory that exists with such treasures. I shall get you a healing device...." He trailed off, not knowing her name. 

Seeing this was an act of trust and friendship, she stuck out her hand and said, "I'm Samantha Carter. Please, just call me Sam." 

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance," The alien said. "I am Faxin of the Opacians." 

Sam noticed how he said it with pride. She was a very good judge of character and this alien beside her struck her as one of the gentler she had met. "I'll be waiting here. Please,   
don't take too long." 

Faxin nodded and disappeared into the dim corridors. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jack shifted slightly; his foot was starting to go numb. "Okay," Jack said. He shifted and Daniel moved slightly moaning as he did. "Shit," Jack said. Daniel shouldn't be awake.   
He knew what internal bleeding felt like, too many times if you asked him, and he knew it was better to stay unconscious then awake. Absentmindedly Jack started to rock Daniel and   
hiss soothing sounds. He couldn't bear watch his friend suffer. Jack had always done this to his son when he had scraped his knees or had been bitten by a bee on one of his wild   
excursions. It usually seemed to calm him down. In a way Daniel was his kid. Although he wouldn't admit it to anybody but himself, he was the one watching his back, or by his bedside   
after having his butt kicked in by the Goa'uld. Even though he grumbled and groaned when Daniel did yet another stupid thing, he was there and he was willing to help in any way he   
could. Daniel shifted again, his face falling. Jack grabbed him and made him still, so not to aggravate his injury. His eyelids began to flicker and Jack hoped he would never have to see a   
face like that. Daniel's eyes were glazed with pain, the last time he had seen Daniel like this was on Apophis' ship. Jack began to stroke his hair as the glazed eyes began to blink. A tear   
escaped one side of Jack's face as his friend tried to move and he found he couldn't, the pain from his injury was excruciating. 

Daniel closed his eyes once more and Jack kept rocking until he heard Daniel fall into a fitful sleep. Stopping his comforting movements, he wiped the tear away and sat there. A   
movement to his left startled him. 

Teal'c was sitting there, observing what he had just done. Teal'c nodded and Jack turned. Oddly enough he wasn't embarrassed. Hell, this might spread around the base that he was   
like a mother or something like that, but he didn't really care. This was his friend, and there would be no one else to tease unless they got some sort of medical attention for Daniel in   
the near future. 

Jack looked down at his tortured face and wondered why the heck this kid had seen more violence in two years then he had seen during one of is far-flung suicide missions. Daniel   
never had deserved a life like this, but by choosing to go after his wife, he was signing his death warrant. Jack leaned his head back, but snapped it forward when he realized the clomp of   
boots approaching his way. 

"Teal'c, we've got company!" 

The door opened revealing two persons and Jack covered Daniel, trying to save him. If anything Daniel should be the one to live. Jack prepared for the worst, until he felt a   
comforting hand on his shoulder.... 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Samantha Carter breathed out a sigh of relief. The alien had returned, no guards in tow or any sign of deceitfulness. The alien approached, looking for any signs of her. Sam   
stepped out of the darkness. 

"I'm over here," she whispered. 

The alien nodded and came to her. "I have the guard uniform you requested and I have brought the healing device." 

Sam nodded and proceeded to put on the clothing. Using a black marker she had in her vest pocket she drew the X-crossed shape where a goa'uld was normally carried on her belly.   
Smiling, putting on her finishing touches, she placed the healing device into a pocket and hoped for the best. Snapping shut the helmet; she followed Faxin into a door through to a   
hallway. Clomping down the walkway as she had seen done by the other guards she came to the door which Faxin said was where they kept the rest of SG-1. 

Sam stopped in front of the two guards and said in her best imitation of a flat Jaffa voice. "I am here to relive you from your duties. Lord Her'ru said we are to bring the prisoners to   
him." 

Noticing Faxin as the Lord's favorite and most loyal Opacian, they stepped away and walked down the hallway. Faxin, taking a set of keys from a pocket in his tunic, inserted them   
into the lock and opened the door. There, inside was Jack, Teal'c and Daniel. Sam tried not to rush as she approached. Jack's eyes darkened when he realized they had come. Shielding   
Daniel's body with his own. Sam realized she didn't look like a friend and she pressed the button at her neck. The helmet retracted and she put a hand on Jack's shoulder. Startled, he   
looked up, and his face broke into a grin. 

"Sam! How.." 

She put a finger to her lips indicating that he should be quiet. 

Jack nodded, understanding the situation. He looked past her to the Opacian. "Wait a minute, I know you." 

Faxin looked nervously towards him, the light spilling from the corridor refracting off the scales of his face. 

"You're the guy who got us down here." Jack was ready to kill the alien but pressure from Sam's hand stopped him. "He's going to help us. He wants to free his people as much as I   
want to save you guys. I wouldn't be this far without him." 

Jack relaxed but still kept an eye on the lone Opacian. Sam looked at Daniel. It didn't look good. Blood was still running down the side of his mouth, indicating he didn't have much   
time before he would die. Sam reached into her pocket and fished out the healing device. 

Jack's eyes widened. "Where did you find that?" 

Sam looked pointedly at the Opacian. "Him." 

Jack understood. "You don't know how to use that. How are you going to get it to work? The last time I saw a device like this was when we were with Thor's people. You couldn't get   
it to work then too." 

Sam looked at him and she hoped that this would work. She focused her thoughts inward and prayed. Suddenly Daniel began to convulse; his mouth started to turn blue from lack of   
blood. 

Jack shook him. "Daniel! Breath, come on buddy, breath!" 

Sam wasn't paying attention. She heard Jack's frightened call and she thought harder. She started to chant in her head, I won't let him die, I won't let him die, I won't let him die... 

The device flared and a burst of energy spewed out. She broke into a cold sweat and she kept going. Daniel started to breathe again and his eyes tightened. He seemed ready to   
scream but Jack put a hand on his mouth to quiet him and a hand on his forehead to stop his frantic movements. 

Suddenly Sam stopped. Gasping from exhaustion and breathing heavily she sank to her knees. She reached a shaking hand to feel Daniel's pulse and her eyes widened. His pulse was   
strong and no more blood seemed to be coming from his mouth, indicating internal bleeding. Jack seemed to read her eyes and learning what he needed to know he leaned his head back   
in relief. Jack removed his hands from the anthropologist's mouth and he put the unconscious scholar's head on his lap. It would be awhile before the man would wake up and he knew   
that in order for the healing to become permanent, he needed to stay still and not move. Jack shifted over and pulled Sam to her feet, putting her beside Teal'c as she regained her   
strength. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   


Jack finally got up. Placed Daniel's head on the stone slab and walked over to the alien. Something like primal fear flashed into his eyes in the dim light. 

Jack winced. He knew he was the cause of that fear. A lot of people had been afraid of him in the past. Daniel, Skarra, Kasuf, his wife, more times then he could even remember,   
hell, he was even scared of himself. He stopped along the doorway, looked out to see if any guards were there. He knew they should get moving, but it seemed no one would come.   
Knowing Her'ru, he would have guards posted at every corner of the hallway. Jack guessed that he thought without the Tau'ri weaponry, knowledge and a wounded comrade, they   
wouldn't go anywhere. Jack grinned mirthlessly. How wrong he was. 

Jack turned to the alien. "I guess I owe you an apology." 

"Apo-ligze?" 

"You know, when you're sorry." 

"Sor-ry?" Jack frowned. Then, thinking of something Daniel would do, He pointed to his heart and made tear tracks down his face, indicating he was sad. 

"You mean _Kretenta_?" 

"Yeah, sure, whatever." On the outside Jack seemed docile and uninterested in his feat. But inside he was jumping. An unnatural feeling swept over him, euphoria. He had never tried   
to contact a different culture; usually he stood aside and let Daniel do the work. But now, since Daniel couldn't help him, he felt frustrated. Daniel had talked to his about his inability to   
fight, to protect himself. He had tried, and failed, to become a fighter. Jack had assured him the Jaffa had enough strength to make up for three people, but Daniel had still felt really   
bad. Now Jack felt the exact same way. He might be handy with a gun, and he could lighten up the darkest of moods, but culture wise, he was the biggest fool on the planet. Planets, he   
corrected himself. He smiled to himself and turned to his team. Carter, her eyes puffy and carried bags under them as if the last few hours had been the test of her life, Teal'c the Jaffa   
friend he wouldn't consider ever leaving them, he'd rather die at their side then let them die alone. 

Then there was Daniel. 

Jack had once told him he was a human target, although his best friend, they both sometimes seemed to get on each other's nerves. Daniel with his cultural babble, Jack with his   
hard core, no-room-for-mistakes attitude, both were so different but had gone through the worst together. Jack had seen Daniel die in his arms, whereas Daniel had seen Jack's   
emotional barriers crumble when the alien entity had created an image of his son. So many things could tear them apart, but they lived through it. They were a team, The fabric of the   
never-ending quilt that went on forever. 

Jack shook himself out of his revelry. He usually didn't get so emotional about these kinds of things. He considered himself an emotional idiot. God knows how he managed to get   
a wife. After all the suicide missions he had gone through, who knew how he kept Sarah. Jack looked back at the team and made a decision. He walked to Teal'c, told him to pick up Sam,   
seeing she had fallen sleep after her tiresome ordeal with the Goa'uld device and he walked to Daniel. He picked up the kid, making sure he was still breathing and He turned to the   
alien. 

"What are we standing around here for? Let's go!" 

The alien nodded and left. While going through the hallways, Jack noticed how empty they were. Void of guards, void of any creatures what so ever. This worried him. Her'ru was   
smart enough to know he had a very intelligent and keen species in his grasp. He had wanted them so much, and now they were going to slip out of his grasp. The alien kept going, not   
noticing the change in the human's plight. Jack slowed so he was in step with Teal'c. 

"Has any Goa'uld been known to leave his base unattended?" 

"I do not think so O'Neill," the Jaffa intoned. "I have never seen Apophis leave his stronghold unless another Goa'uld system lord was attacking or if it was a trap." 

Jack nodded uneasily. Stopping he tried to listen. 

The alien noticed he had stopped. "Come, we must move in order to get to the shimmering pool." Jack looked long and hard at the creature. He turned away, shifting. Then he heard   
it. A low vibrating hum penetrated his bones, with the silence that followed the Opacians words the hum intensified. 

"A Goa'uld ship." Teal'c stated. 

Jack looked at the Jaffa. "Crap." 

They started to run as best they could to the rings that had brought them down here in the first place. The skidded to a stop and were about to enter the rings when the descended.   
Seeing that being in he open would just make things worse, Jack backed into the shadows. Finding a crevice where he could put Daniel down in, he got up and joined Teal'c and the Alien,   
Faxin at the hole that served as an entrance. 

Jack watched in silent horror as the rings brightened and then released its occupants. A large, wolf headed man shimmered into existence, and he snapped his fingers. Guards that   
surrounded him fell into place and using some old ancient dialect ordered his guards to start searching for signs of inhabitation. Jack sucked in a breath when he saw another delicate   
figure step off the platform. It was a she. And a not very nice she. 

Hathor. 

"Oh geez." Jack whistled under his breath. This was not good. Jack saw the wolf-head leave, trailing his escort with a revolting passivity. Jack glared off in the direction that the   
couple disappeared to. Jack went back to Daniel and picked him up. Wincing as he did so. It was a good twenty-four hours since he had had some decent sleep, and the strain was   
catching up with him. Putting Daniel back down he did what he hated to do. He gently slapped Daniel on the cheek, trying to wake him. 

"Come on Daniel, work with me here." 

Daniel shifted and groaned. He turned his head, muttering something in an ancient dialect. 

"Daniel." Jack whispered harshly, "wake up!" Daniel stirred and sat upright, a hand over his stomach and another, his head. He looked around, confused and realized he had no idea   
where he was. Seeing no one, he thought this was some kind of torture and he opened his mouth to yell. 

Jack, seeing this, grabbed Daniel's mouth and clamped his hand on his mouth. Daniel didn't move for a moment, and not knowing who was holding his mouth, he turned slightly. 

Jack whispered into his ear, "Daniel, it's Jack. You scream and I'll kill you, and so will the lovely lady that has a crush on you." 

Daniel nodded. Jack loosened his hand and Daniel relaxed, almost falling over in the process. "Whoa!" 

Jack realized that the effects of the healing device wouldn't be able to heal him properly if he didn't rest, but since Teal'c had Carter and the spindly alien looked, well spindly, he   
couldn't carry Daniel. 

Helping the younger man to his feet, and wrapping an arm around his waist as support, Jack pulled Daniel to the opening where the ensuing drama had both Teal'c and the alien   
mesmerized. Jack literally pulled Daniel along as he realized that something important was about to happen. 

"_Hasak, Kree_" Hathor shouted. "_I want the prisoners. My beloved is among them. You harm a hair on his head and I shall use yours as an ornament!_" 

Jack grimaced. Hathor wanted Daniel, which meant, by waking him up the risked detection. 

Daniel's eyes seemed to glaze over, just as they had been over a year ago when Hathor had first awaken and taken all the men in the base under control. Hathor seemed to sense this   
also and her head moved. Ordering her guards away she followed her mind to where he beloved could possibly be. Turning her head she noticed the crevice. Smiling, stalking towards   
the hole like a cat after its prey, she approached. 

"_Beloved?_" she said softly. "_I know you are here. Come out_." 

Jack clamped his hand on Daniel's mouth. Hearing no answer Hathor became angry. 

"_Beloved, you have five of your earth seconds to show yourself before I destroy your friends as well as imprisoning yourself._" Jack's mouth thinned and the seconds ticked by.   
Hathor's light footsteps could be heard approaching their location. Her angry face appeared and Jack smiled. 

"Hey! Long time no see!" Teal'c glanced at him and Hathor raised her fist. Pure energy leapt from her hand and the world dimmed. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

When Daniel Jackson woke, he realized his head hurt. No, he reasoned, his body was one sentient pain. He didn't dare to open his eyes, he knew there was something horrible   
there. He couldn't hear anything, The whole room, or whatever he was in was a silent as a tomb. He could smell the dank, rancid air and he backed away. Although, when he awoke there   
hadn't seemed to be any walls, he immediately backed into one. He scooted over to the other side. The wall was just a meter and a half away. Franticly he opened his eyes. He was in a   
room, but this room was one of the smallest he had ever been in. It was like a box, nowhere to go, nowhere to hide and nowhere to get out. No visible doorway, no visible window, no   
visible sign of a breathing hole of any sorts. Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out all the flood of memories that seemed to assault him from all directions. His parents, the   
sarcophagus, the seemingly empty hallways in his nightmares. There was no one. There was him, and that frightened him. Daniel backed up to a wall, sank down and started to shake. His   
breathing got labored as he started to choke on his own air. Daniel was going to die, and there was no Jack or Teal'c or Sam in shining armor to save him. 

_ Elsewhere..._

Jack O'Neill came to with a groan. He levered himself up, wondering what had hit him. Then he remembered. 

"Daniel?" He shouted. "Sam? Teal'c?" 

Hearing no answer, he felt around trying to look for any sign of his friends. His hand came in contact with something, but not the something that he expected. 

"Oh shit," he said in a low voice. No less than a meter away was a snake. No, a poisonous snake, harmless, but the glint in it's eyes and the size of its fangs caused Jack to back up.   
The snake hissed, coiling up. Jack backed away until he was a good two meters from the creature. He opened his eyes. 

"Oh no." Jack had seen worst things in his life but nothing made him expect this. 

A large room, the one he was in, was absolutely crawling with snakes. Jack blinked; hoping it was a dream, or some sort of hallucination. Snakes ranging from deadly cobras and   
harmless garter snakes surrounded him, kept at bay by the torchlight that flickered above his head. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the light he saw the millions of pairs of eyes that   
glared at him. Their hissing seemed to drown out the slightest word. There was no way out and Jack realized he was in very deep shit. 

_In yet another place...._

Sam Carter looked up. 

"Oh no." 

Millions of them, tiny, crawling, some deadly, some the ones that seemed to be in every term. Spiders. Sam cringed. She hated spiders. She never knew why, but every time she saw   
one she got scared. And this was no exception. Two hallways seemed to reach out to her through the swarm of spiders. They all were intent on one purpose. Weaving, they weaved their   
homes, millions of spiders, millions of cobwebs. One hallway seemed to be completely covered in cobwebs; spiders crawled to and fro. Stepping on an eight-legged creature that   
seemed to stay to closed she looked towards the other way. A nice walkway, free of spiders and free of cobwebs. Stepping cautiously towards it, sensing no trap, she walked on. A quick   
skittering, like ice picks on rock alerted her. Although barely noticeable, she heard it like if it was a sonic boom. There it was again. She turned deliberately, and then wished she hadn't.   
A large, bigger version of the eight-legged creature she had so despised stood in front of her. Sam looked at the enlarged spider and swallowed. 

Where was pesticide when you needed it? 

_ Elsewhere... again._

Teal'c considered himself always a strong person, he could be hit with a staff weapon in the chest without a flinch, he could kill without a blink of an eye, but never, ever, could he   
stand seeing his friends suffer. He sat there, watching through three-sided glass. 

On one side he saw Sam Carter fighting a giant spider, her face contorted in emotions she had never let anybody see. 

O'Neill was on his side, surrounded by snakes, moaning in pain as they bit him over and over again, injecting their poison into him. Daniel, 

The youngest of them all was curled up in a side of the small, box like room they had put him in, and was rocking side to side, his eyes glazed, trying to keep hold of his sanity. 

Teal'c closed his eyes. He could not bear to watch. Hathor's slender arm trailed down his taunt arm. 

"_Jaffa,_" she whispered. "_You can save them, you can help them. All I require are the codes_." 

Teal'c opened his eyes and looked his tormenter in the face. "Never," He spit out and sat back to watch his friends suffer. 

Hathor's eyes glowed slightly and she smiled. This was torture for him. Although she didn't want her beloved to suffer, it was necessary to make sure of their ability to find the   
codes, so they would be able to win control over the Tau'ri. Hathor straightened and went to the window that viewed her beloved. 

"_Do not worry child. I shan't let you suffer for that long._" Her eyes flashed once more and with a swirl of her floor length cape and trail of phenomenal perfume, she left, leaving   
Teal'c with his guilt and his thoughts. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Teal'c lowered his eyes. 

Four hours had passed. 

He wasn't willing to give, but it seemed he would have no choice. In Sam's holographic suite it seemed the Spider had won. Sam, motionless, attached to the ceiling after a long and   
grueling battle. The ensuing moments had her literally hanging upside-down. She was coiled in cobwebs and swung side to side, her delicate face red with all the blood rushing to her   
head. 

Jack; in the other cubical, seemed to fare no better. A couple hours ago the snakes had all converged, leaving Jack unconscious. He had woken up to find he hadn't died, and the   
bites had disappeared, only to have all the snakes come and bite him, looking for the taste of flesh. After groaning for another fifteen earth minutes he once again fell unconscious. 

In the cubical beside his, Daniel lay against the wall; his eyes open, unseeing, uncaring and unmoving. He had stopped rocking about an hour after Hathor had left; he had then   
started talking to himself, as if one of his friends were beside him. Now he lay there. Unmoving. 

Teal'c closed his eyes in despair and then called out to Hathor. Forgive me my friends, he thought, I had no choice. The doors banged open and Teal'c opened his eyes. Hathor stood   
over him, smiling. 

"_Well?_" the steady Jaffa seemed to crouch, then straightened. "The code is...." 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Daniel was unaware of anything. He stared at the rock wall in front of him and stared. Why? He thought. What have I done to deserve a punishment like this? Suddenly a grating   
noise filtered through his mind. He thought of all the possibilities, friend, foe, another monstrosity, a trick, even worse, Hathor. He'd rather perish in this hellhole then serve her. 

A stone covering lifted off the top of the box he was in. Hands grabbed his clothing. He offered no resistance. His head rolled back and his eyes were greeted with harsh light.   
Three large figures resolved into watery images above him. 

Horus guards brought him up. 

Daniel could only stare impassively at them. He couldn't even blink his eyes. The guards seemed unnerved about this. Reaching towards him they closed his eyelids. Daniel didn't   
even have the strength to croak protest. Exhausted, he let himself be carried down the hallway. A turn right, then left then he heard a door open. Registering another presence he went   
absolutely still and found himself shoved into somebody's arms. It couldn't be Hathor, but he had neither the strength nor the will to open his eyes to figure out who it was. The hands he   
had been so rudely shoved in put him down gently on a bundle of something. 

Another voice was there. 

Vaguely familiar, tired and wanting to know what had happened. The heavy door he assumed was across from him swept open. Another grunt told him that another 'visitor' had been   
invited. A shuffle by his right indicated they put the body somewhere there. Somebody pried open his eyelid and a bright light shined into his eye. The light flashed away as quickly as it   
had come. Now that his eyes were partially open Daniel let his head flop down to hit the stone slab he had been placed on and he listened to the voices. 

"...no, not too good Teal'c. He's severely dehydrated and he's not responding. What? No water? He won't be any help to us if we don't get any fluids in him. What? No, the Colonel is   
faring better, but like Daniel, he needs water. What did they do to us?" 

He didn't listen to the rest of the question or answer. He was among friends and that was all that mattered. As his eyes slid closed he thought he heard a scuffle, but it didn't matter.   
He was tired and he fell asleep.   


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   


Jack woke up to the dank darkness of the cell that he had spent more time then he could possibly remember in. He tried to get up. As he raised his head he wondered why he   
wasn't dead. Before losing consciousness, he remembered being practically eaten alive by snakes. Thousands had poured their deadly venom into him, hell, if he wasn't dead then this   
was definitely hell. As awareness rushed at him he realized he was incredibly thirsty. His throat felt like he had shoved a huge wad of cotton balls down and had neglected to take 'em   
out. 

Looking around he noticed two other occupants in the cell. Carter was one, and the massive Jaffa was the other. Carter seemed to be embroiled in a terrible dream. She kept   
wincing as if thousands of critters were crawling all over her. Once, Sam had told Jack of her great fear of spiders. Jack never ceased to remember the day when he was in his cottage   
and somebody had let out a blood-curdling scream. When he rushed to find out what had happened, he found Carter on a table vainly throwing things at a tiny spider that was making its   
way down the hallway. 

Jack couldn't stop laughing. Now he didn't feel like it. He had realized while thinking about Carter's fear, that Hathor must have meant to frighten them all. Teal'c was beside Carter,   
letting her sleep on his shoulder while he caught up on some well-deserved rest. Deciding not to bother them he made his way around the cell realizing one of his team was missing. 

Daniel. 

Knowing full well that Hathor was in love with the archeologist, he muttered to himself. He wondered if the young man had been subject to the same torture as they had. He knew   
what Daniel feared the most. Enclosed places, being alone, nobody at all. Jack had lived most of his life in silence. Abusive father, Suicide missions, Iraq prisons, you name it. But   
Daniel had always used people as his lifeline. When his parents died, he felt the need to cling onto people. Jack had found that out the hard way. When Daniel was hurt, confused or   
excited, he would come to Jack. Jack was his father in a way. Daniel was his kid. Too bad the thirty something archeologist didn't have enough presence of mind to keep out of trouble,   
especially around women. Jack sighed and sat down on the stone pallet. It would be a long night and Jack didn't want to bother the two sleepers on his right. Sighing again he fell into a   
fitful sleep. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Sweet dreams mixed with horrible ones. 

Sha're taken away from him forever. Finding her, only to lose her again on Abydos. 

Daniel tossed and turned. He couldn't do anything to save her. With a startled gasp he rose. The room was dark and seductive, shimmering candlelight's wavered in all directions as   
soft, vanilla sweet breezes swept across the room. 

Daniel blinked. This must be Hathor's room. Only she would make the effort to seduce a man. He could all ready feel the effects of her pheromones, his mind seemed to sink into   
the deep crevice which had scared him so, so long ago. What women possessed this power, why on earth, or any other planet, would she want him? 

"_Because, my child_." 

Daniel scrambled away from the voice. "Leave me alone." 

"_But beloved, have you not missed us?_" 

Daniel had the urge to say yes, yammering voices increased in his head until he couldn't stand it any longer. 

"Yes," he whispered. 

Hathor smiled, her eyes glowed for a minute as if the gentle lighting in the room had flared like bon fires. 

Daniel swallowed. 

This trip was not what he had thought it to be. Although the ancient ruins on the top of the caverns below had told a story, he was never quiet sure how to translate it. As far as he   
knew, the race that like here had a weapon of sorts that rid the of the 'invaders.' 

Hathor looked at Daniel, and she got up. "_What is wrong beloved? Do I not please you?_" 

Daniel looked up at her. The yammering in his head increased until a dull ache seemed to form, spreading across his temples like wildfire. 

Daniel blinked furiously. "Yes of course my Queen." With that he grabbed her, silenced her with a blow to the jaw and started to rip up the bed sheets. If Hathor woke up, he knew   
that the reunion would not be so happy. Tying her up, he stuffed a gag in her mouth and hoped that the perfume she wore would not effect him that much. He quietly opened the door. 

"Oh crud," he said under his breath. Three guards milled about as if it were a Sunday afternoon. Seeing that that plan was wasted, he closed the door and checked around the room.   
There had to be some sort of alternate escape route, like a secret entrance of some sort. Noticing how dusty the floor was, as if there was many days or months of misuse, Daniel   
realized this is how he could find out. Taking a candle from the dresser on his right, he held it above the floor, trying to see if his efforts were in vain. Daniel grinned. In the weak light   
he found footprints, leading from the other direction from the door. 

"Bingo," he said softly. Following the footsteps to a giant tapestry, Daniel pulled it aside and found a door. Opening it he found himself in a maze of sorts. _This must be the secret_   
_labyrinth where the legend ends_, thought Daniel. He held up the candle and began to explore the myth unfolding. Knowing of some way in this cave to save his friends and get rid of   
Hathor and her goons, gave Daniel a sense of importance. Hoping for the best, started foreword, snapping out of his revelry and dreams to live in the violent reality of the world. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jack woke with a start, He thought he heard something. The clang from the serpent guard boots to the floor came to them, and with a sign of relief, they passed. Jack looked up   
at the slanted ceiling. No way of escape, no way to get help, no way to even signal a rescue team down here. Jack rubbed a tired hand across his face. The situation was desolate. Nobody   
would come and they were dentin to rot in this unholy dungeon. Light footsteps flickered down the hallway. 

Jack froze. "What the hell.....?" He whispered harshly under his breath. Hoping it was maybe the alien creature or by some small chance, Daniel, he took a position by the corner of   
the door, and got ready to grab who ever was coming in. The door swung open with barely a sound and a shadowy figure poked his head through. Jack was ready. Grabbing the person or   
creature he pushed whatever it was against the wall and covered its mouth. 

A startled sound escaped from its throat. 

"Daniel?" Another series of sounds erupted from the young man and he glared pointedly at Jack 

"Mmmack! Mlet mmno!" "What?" "Mlet mmno!" 

"Oh!" Jack released his grip on Daniel and he slid to the ground. 

"Nice welcome," Daniel said, trying to catch his breath. 

"Always the best for you." 

"I can see that." As much as Jack wanted to sit down and have a verbal fight with Daniel, he realized their precarious position. The whole SG1 team, Hathor and a lot of serpent   
guards. Trick question, which one shouldn't belong? Staring at the answer, his team, he got to his feet and shook both Carter and Teal'c awake. 

Carter got to her feet slowly and she stretched. "Boy am I tired. Remind me to take an extra long vacation .. When we get back. 

Jack looked at her in the corner of the eye. An inaudible If hung in the air like the ape's balance. 

Daniel also got up from the floor and Sam finally realized he was there. Enveloping him in a tight hug she grinned. 

"Glad you could join us," she said, looking up at the dank cell, "although I believe that the accommodations have failed us once again." 

Jack laughed. 

Daniel groaned. 

Teal'c looked confused. 

Seeing Teal'c's face, Daniel tried to explain the nature of her joke and the point that it was just as corny and typical as the Colonel's jokes. Teal'c still looked confused and Jack and   
Sam were still grinning. 

Snapping out of his momentary funk, Jack checked his watch. They were closing in on 72 hours. It didn't seem possible that they spent so much time on this sandpit of a planet.   
Jack motioned for the team to head through the door, escaping the all too familiar prison that now seemed like a second home. As Jack ushered his team ahead he peered into the inky   
darkness, not sensing any other form of life. Only dripping water made its track down the stone walls and seemed to disappear into unknown and unseen crevices. Jack backed away and   
followed his team into the oblivion. 

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The team ran down the hallway, keeping a careful look out for serpent guards and any other sign of life. They seemed to run what felt like forever to their battered bodies. 

Daniel had lost his animation and was struggling to keep up. Only Sam's military training kept her going, but she stumbled frequently. Jack noted with surprise that the illusion of   
the strong Jaffa seemed to have disappeared as well. Jack glance down the hallway and saw two large doorways embedded in the wall. Sam also seemed to notice the strange apparition   
and motioned that the team should follow her. They came to what seemed to be a dead end, and Sam stuck her hand through the wall and promptly disappeared. Jack's eyes widened when   
Daniel, and Teal'c also vanished. Getting ready to step through himself, he heard the clomp of Serpent guard boots approaching. 

Hiding in the deep shadows he observed about fifty guards going down the hallway, four alien servants carried a solid gold platform where Jack saw Hathor's haughty form perched   
upon. Jack hissed quietly through his teeth as the two head Jaffa opened the doors, announcing their queen's arrival. The doors closed and Jack entered the wall. Popping through on the   
other side he clicked on a flashlight that he had managed to keep during all his struggles. 

Seeing the grimy, bruised faces of his friend and colleagues, he whispered the encounter with the legion of troops. 

Sam, realizing that it might be important to find out what was happening tracked down the hallway until she came to a metal grate, much like the one on their prison cell. She   
opened it with a slight noise, Jack followed her example with another grate about a meter or so away. Peering into the large and well-lit auditorium, Jack realized it was a ceremony that   
would mark the beginning of Hathor's rein. Rein of terror that was. Jack squinted and in the vast chamber he saw thousands of terrified aliens, some crying and some whispering to their   
neighbors. 

Jack looked and saw the gold platform on the floor, an elaborately dressed female, Hathor, stepped off and faced the crowd with a dignified and icy look. 

"_I am your leader. You shall obey me and give me the power of the ancients._" 

Beside him, Daniel drew in a sharp breath. He knew what it was, and he knew it would give her superior powers, unlike anything the universe had ever seen. Hathor nodded her head   
slightly to a guard on her left who held a coiled rope at his feet. The guard pulled the rope and a magnificent object of materials unlike anything on earth seemed to dazzle all that   
viewed it. 

Daniel's eyes widened. The final puzzle pieces falling into place. 

Hathor had come for this; this was the rock that held all the knowledge in the known universe, maybe even farther than that. If Hathor managed to download the information into her   
mind she could rule the galaxy. Sam also seemed to have the same revelations; she shot upwards and followed by Daniel, headed for the tunnel entrance. Jack screwed his eyes shut in   
annoyance and replaced the gate and along with Teal'c, ran after his psychopathic teammates. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Daniel ran down the darkened corridor and wondered if he was nuts. They were facing a whole battalion of serpent guards with basically no weapons, four of them against fifty   
of the enemy, and if that wasn't enough, they were exhausted beyond help. They needed help, serious help. 

Unfortunately, Sam was here, unable to get any message to the SGC, and somehow he knew Jack and Teal'c would not go to the gate to get help. Nor would he, his knowledge of   
ancient cultures and mythology was invaluable for this certain mission, unfortunately his adversary was a lot less to be desired. As they kept their vigilant pace up, Daniel thought of all   
the possible problems that could arise. Irrational as it seemed, he feared for his safety, not only his, but everybody else's too. Some little whisper in him mind told his that was Jack's   
job. Silently he agreed. How many times had he run into danger without looking first? 

Too many to count, Daniel thought ruefully. Their pace slowed to what seemed like a crawl, and the huge doors seemed to loom upwards like the golden gate of Orisis' underworld,   
both dark and forbidding as well as welcoming the seekers of eternal life. 

Daniel swallowed. 

Before he had joined the whole Stargate project he was a broken archeologist with nothing to live for except his old books that he could exist in by himself. In a way he was like   
Jack, unable to face the world after a great tragedy or loss occurred. Strange, Daniel was willing to let go of his problems be reading about far off realms in ancient Egypt where people   
were in peaceful harmony with nature and technology alike. His view of the ancients would forever be changed. 

Jack had a different way of expression desolation or anger. Either he would make a sarcastic comment, hiding his true emotions under a fire of rebuttal, or shoving a gun in his   
mouth. Daniel was glad that his friend had chosen to stay. 

Sam was emotional. Not as much as most women tend to be, but she was. She didn't usually hide her emotions under a billboard that flashed a neon sign that said "go away and leave   
me alone," hers was more like, "I'm dealing with a crisis so don't touch me or I'll beat the crap out of you." Daniel had realized this was no idle threat when PMS attacked. It left him   
mortally wounded his male pride anyway, when the petite soldier had flipped him and he was staring up at the ceiling with no recollection on how he got there. He thought it surprised   
her more than him when the whole gym had stopped to stare. She helped him up and with a look that said sorry, shouted to the guys in the gym, "Just showing him some moves, whose   
next?" The gym was pretty much cleared after that when she would come in. 

Daniel really thought she enjoyed the attention, it proved that she wasn't as weak as most men thought her to be. Thankfully, Daniel had always had the sense to keep quiet around   
her with women type sarcastic comments. 

Teal'c was a whole different story. He never shed a tear in his life. Cast as first prime of Apophis, he was in the place of power and dignity. His family was most respected and his   
life most envied. He had given that up. He had given every thing up, including his young family that he never spoke of until the moment of implantation. Daniel might have never seen   
him take a hit and flinch, that was Teal'c for you. Not even a train could drag the emotional barrier Teal'c had erected down, it seemed that he would never feel physical pain. Ever. But   
he did feel pain. Not physically, but for his friends, when they were hurt or in trouble. Daniel could think of so many times where Teal'c had leant him a supporting hand, if it was the   
scarred battlefield of the caveman contaminated virus planet, or when he popped out of the surface of the Ocean world Onnaes. 

Teal'c was Teal'c. 

In his own way he was the most sensitive and caring person Daniel had ever met. Daniel realized his thoughts started to cloud his perception of the real world. Taking a deep breath   
he plunged in and held on for the ride of his life; reality. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Sam stared at the great oriental doors that loomed over her head. This was it. To save a race or save themselves. She knew that the rest of the team was indifferent. Daniel   
would jump right in, as always, to save a race with at least a try before he officially gave up. Jack wouldn't consider putting his team in danger for another species, especially if it meant   
losing a team member. Teal'c would follow his friends, even through the most irrational decision. 

Sam took a deep breath as both she and Teal'c swung the doors open. It was a beautiful room, one that would dazzle the richest apartment in Colorado. The walls seemed to deflect   
thousands of tiny needles of light; thy refracted around the room until the slightest light could make the room amazingly light. Sam guessed it was created for that purpose. She was no   
archeologist, but she was sure that it held some sort of mystical power or strange belief. Sam shook her head and half the team, Jack and Teal'c, hid behind a bunch of guards, who were   
unaware of their presence. Sam and Daniel looked at each other, nodded and approached the platform which would be the last obstacle from going home, satisfied that another race was   
saved and the evil Goa'ulds were vanquished until another day. As they reached the platform, her eyes swept over the assembled figures. 

Hathor, with her cat-like smile, didn't call her guards or pull out her weapon. She retired to a throne set upon the stage. An alien creature was bound to a stake behind her. It or he   
was unconscious and Sam realized it was Faxin. The brave creature that had risked his life to save them. Unfortunately he was paying the price. 

Daniel seemed to waver slightly when he came in proximity to Hathor. Sam knew it was from Hathor's phenomenal perfume. Grabbing for Daniel's hand, she held it, making sure he   
didn't run off. Hathor seemed to freeze in place. Her victorious smile melting into the hard mask she carried when another female interfered with her plans of Universal conquest.   
Raising her chin haughtily, she looked over her subject, who stood petrified at the stand off, and her eyes glowed. She smiled. 

"_Jaffa, Kro'mon!_" 

Four Jaffa on either side of her converged. Two picked up Carter and two others, Daniel. The raised them so that they were eye level with Hathor. Sam watched in fascinated horror   
as Hathor went to Daniel. As if almost sensing her thoughts he shut his eyes tightly and closed his mouth until his lips were white against his skin. Sam watched as she slowly traced her   
gold torture device over his tense muscles and Daniel winced, drawing in a deep breath from his nose. 

Sam started to struggle. She couldn't afford to lose Daniel, not ever. Over the past two years he had thought of him as an older brother, although technically older, she was inclined   
to say he gave her advice when she needed it, or been by her side in the moments of despair. Hathor lowered her hand and took his chin firmly into her hands. 

"_You shall obey me beloved, I will hold all power in the universe and you shall learn from me."_

Daniel swallowed, his eyes widening in realization. As Hathor released his head, spots of blood pooling where he had vainly tried to escape Hathor's deadly grip. Sam closed her   
eyes, knowing she was next. Hathor's shadow rested above her. Sam opened her eyes and held back a startled exclamation. 

The device flared in front of her. 

Seeing Sam's fear, Hathor smiled. It was better than she expected. This was how she would break her beloved in. He had run away so many times, when he shouldn't have. The device   
flared as she prepared to strike.... 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jack watched his Captain and Archeologist be led on to the dais and kneel in front of Hathor. He could see Daniel was failing in trying to resist Hathor. Jack closed his eyes in   
despair and turned his head towards the heavens. Teal'c and him had figured out there was one source of light in the whole cavern. A torch that burned in the middle of the group. Jack   
had knocked one of the near-by serpent guards unconscious and dressed in his clothing. He now stood near Hathor and her group, vainly trying to fit in. 

Teal'c had managed to get to the torch somehow and without a sound the room was plunged into darkness. Jack let out a warrior cry and to create more panic he fired a round of   
shots from different directions so the enemy would think many people were attacking them. Making his way to Daniel and Carter's general area, he stepped over the platform and   
whispered loudly enough for them to hear. 

"Daniel, Carter? _Daniel?_" 

"Over here sir," Jack sighed in relief as he heard his Captain speak somewhere from his right. Feeling around on the floor he came in contact with somebody's shoulder. Twisting it   
painfully around, his assailant held it in a tight embrace. 

"Carter?" 

The hand released him and scuffling could be heard. The two-team members that had volunteered to become live bait voiced that they were there. Seeing, that yelling Teal'c name   
would become a great strategic disadvantage, Jack peered into the murky depths. The screaming had gone silent, and all he could hear was the steady breathing of his team members and   
almost a half a million assembled aliens. Slight sounds skittered near them, and Jack grabbed Daniel and Sam's hands to keep them quiet. Then, far away from them, to their right, they   
heard a very angry Goa'uld voice. 

"_Jaffa fro'mc, yilt erntr_!" 

Daniel whispered to Jack, "She said, Jaffa find the traitors." 

"I kinda figured that," Jack drawled. 

Clomping of boots seemed to penetrate the stillness. Thankful that that aliens were quiet, Jack led his team members off the dais and near to the bound Opacian. Faxin was alert,   
and Jack cut the ropes that made him spread-eagle on the wooden frame. He was released. Faxin looked at the strange creatures he now ca11 his friends and realized that this was the   
dawning of a new era. Stepping away from the humans he reached into his belt and took out a flare that all Opacians carried in case of black out. Thankfully the Goa'uld's, as his friends   
called them, didn't know about them. One flare could light an entire room. Faxin struck the flare, the sound unnaturally loud in the stillness. 

"My people, we shall rise from the ashes of the world or enemies have created for us." He pointed vaguely to the assembled goa'ulds. "My people, _Converge_!" 

The Opacians attacked, without tools, or weapons, they covered all in their path, and stepped over the serpent guards that panicked and fired. Hathor screamed in betrayal, as the   
remaining guards and herself escape to their ship. The thousands assembled yelled in victory, old men threw their sticks in the air, mothers smiled and cooed at their children. Faxin   
stood on the dais and looked over his people, free as they were meant to be. He raised his arm in triumph and threw his head back and sang a high tune. His people joined him. As soon   
as the singing had ended, the room became silent. Faxin turned to the strangers. 

"We owe you our lives and our gratitude, whatever you ask shall be granted." 

Before Jack could say a word, Daniel stepped forward. "You have given us the greatest gift, our freedom. If not for your selfless act, we would still be in that prison, and I'd   
probably be dead. There is one thing you can do for us though...." 

Daniel held out his palm. Faxin put his webbed, three-fingered hand hesitantly into his. Daniel took his hand and pressed it into the palm shaped indent carved into the sacred rock.   
Faxin threw his head back as all the information of his people, stored inside the fossil, the xenolith artifact, entered his mind, the one and other merging together as a sentient being that   
would lead his people through the darkness to the light that lit forever. Daniel stared in awe at the spectacle, his eyes never leaving the creature's face, as the transformation occurred.   
Bright lights seemed to leech out of the alien's body and refract off the paneled walls, making everything shine and sparkle. The creature stepped back. He looked different, not in   
appearance, but in knowledge, he carried himself as if he were the one and only person that carried the decision of countless others. He turned to his people and raised his hand in   
acknowledgement. His people cheered, their leader was one of them, and only he could make the decisions that would shape their lives. 

Faxin, the sole Opacian on the dais seemed to be covered in a golden halo of knowledge, his eyes shown with an inner beauty never seen by the naked eye before. 

Daniel stepped back in amazement. Then, the crowd went silent as Faxin lifted a glittering palm to stop their cheering, ranting and their heads all turned simultaneously to face the   
visitors that had suffered for them, and proved that they were a great race. Jack looked at the assembled figures expectantly, he hoped they weren't going to attack them like they   
attacked the Goa'ulds. 

Sam noticed his reaction and leaned over slightly, "Have faith sir." She said calmly. 

Faxin smiled. "You are the mightiest warriors, you have showed us you can not only fight with your hands, but your words as well. You will have great adventures," he walked   
towards Daniel, "Unbury ancient cultures long forgotten," he walked to Sam, "Find new technologies," he turned to Teal'c, " be rejoined with your family," and last of all he faced Jack,   
"and also shall become the best in your abilities." Faxin turned to his people, and then back to SG1. "You, my friends, are free to go. I wish you well on your forth-coming journeys. I   
pray that you reveal the location of our city, so that we may live in peace as we always have." 

Daniel nodded slowly. "We also thank you." He said. 

The Opacian smiled a sweet expression on a face that had seen too many years of abuse to his people. "Stand here," he said simply. 

Touching a button concealed in the great chair on the dais, the five, gold and naquada encrusted rings, slid down and as they were whisked away, Teal'c heard the remnants of the   
great crowd's cheering. The rings shot upwards, depositing them onto the surface. 

Jack blinked in the harsh light and covered his eyes. He had lost his glassed in fiery battles underground. Walking towards the gate, empty handed except for the Iris remote and   
Teal'c newfound staff weapon, they watched the giant gas balls set, one after another. The red streaks of the suns still ringing over the sand desert, and they could see the Stargate in the   
distance, it looked like an apparition of beauty, the last light glinting off the Stargate, causing it to bounce out ward, making the ring flame with an inner light. 

Jack sighed. "Not a bad day at all." He grinned to his fellow companions. "Not a bad day at all." 

Daniel grinned mirthlessly and headed for the DHD, his mind still interpreting what he had seen. It almost seemed like something out of a fairy tale, one that wasn't written but as   
the day progressed, turned into the fountain of knowledge that never seemed to be full. He inserted the symbols, and smiled and the great blue, water-like, circle blossomed before   
them. It stabilized and Jack motioned his team through, giving the planet that had took little and gave a lot one last glance. Smiling, he stepped into the event horizon and prepared for   
the mad gate ride back. 

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They were home. Nothing could look better than the cold steel walls of the SGC. Daniel had been deposited into the infirmary, yelling in protest all the way, and Carter, Teal'c   
and himself had been given stern orders to get their butts down their as soon as they got cleaned up. Jack grinned. He was their leader, and in a way they all were leaders. They had their   
strengths, their faults, and their weaknesses, but they were the dawn of a new era, and nothing could stop that, not even a bunch of Goa'uld that had their hearts set on would conquest.   
Jack smiled again and washed his worries away like the silt of the ongoing river.   
  
  


KaraMeL 

EMAIL ME

[][1]

   [1]: MAILTO:Kristine_sci@hotmail.com



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